When shopping around for laminating pouches (found here), you probably want to use the best thickness for the job at hand. While you may not know what thickness to buy, I can tell you that 5 mil laminating pouches are by far the most popular thickness. ABC Office offers a great selection of 5 mil pouches in a wide range of sizes. So why is the 5 mil thickness so popular? I’ll explain in this article.

To begin with, you probably need to know what a mil is. Mil is not short for millimeter, although many people think it is. A 5-millimeter pouch would be extremely thick. A mil is one hundredth of an inch (1 mil = 0.001″), where a millimeter is 0.039″ thick. In relation to what we are used to dealing with, a mil is pretty thin. A 1.5 mil pouch is about as thin as they come and a 10-mil pouch is about as thick as they comb. Five mils is a great compromise between price and durability.

At ABC Office, we offer 5 mil pouches in about 18 different sizes. These include:

• Business Card (2 1/4″ x 3 3/4″)
• Credit Card (2 1/8″ x 3 3/8″)
• Driver’s License (2 3/8″ x 3 5/8″)
• IBM (2 5/16″ x 3 1/4″)
• Key Card (2 1/2″ x 3 7/8″)
• Miliary (2 5/8″ x 3 7/8″)
• School Card (2 1/2″ x 3 5/8″)
• Jumbo (2 15/16″ x 4 1/8″)
• Luggage Tag w/o Slot (2 1/2″ x 4 1/4″)
• Luggage Tag w/ Slot (2 1/2″ x 4 1/4″)
• Index Card (3 1/2″ x 5 1/2″)
• Circulation Card (3 15/16″ x 5 11/16″)
• Postal Card (3 9/16″ x 5 5/16″)
• Extra Circulation Card (3 15/16″ x 6 7/8″)
• 6″ x 9″
• 9″ x 11 ½”
• 9″ x 14 ½”
• 12″ x 18″

These various size pouches can be used to create photo IDs, laminate photos, business cards, menus, cards, signs and much more. The 5 mil thickness is affordable, with 100 pouches per box costing very little, yet it still has enough stability to keep the item being laminated from being easily damaged.

Unlike other online dealers of laminating pouches, whose quality is often questionable, ABC Office’s pouch laminating film is fresh, new and high-quality stuff. It has a crystal clear finish with a glossy surface.

You can find our entire selection of pouch laminating film here and our entire selection of pouch laminators here. Please feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions.

If you have photographs that you would like to protect, enjoy scrapbooking or would like to create your own at-home signs and banners, you may want to use a home laminating machine. These small devices are easy to use, are extremely affordable and come in a wide range of shapes and sizes. Which machine should you use? Here are a few questions you may want to ask yourself prior to buying a laminator.

Laminating machines, that used to cost hundreds of dollars only 10 years ago, are now far more affordable, making it possible for more people to use and own a home laminating machine. These machines, sometimes referred to as pouch laminators, can be purchased for $110 or less for home and entry-level use.

Prior to purchasing your laminating machine, consider answering the following 5 questions:

• How large an item are you laminating? Try to determine the maximum width that you will need to laminate and use that to determine the width of the laminator you will purchase. Be aware that you will probably want something slightly larger that the maximum width you will be laminating to allow for some wiggle room. If you will be laminating 8 ½” x 11″ documents, I recommend going with a laminator that is at least 9″ wide or wider.
• What are you laminating? If you are only laminating basic copy paper, just about any laminator will work for you. If you will be laminating thicker items, such as cardstock, or perhaps photos, I recommend using a laminator with at least 4 rollers (versus 2).
• How many documents are you laminating per day? Volume can play a big determining factor in your purchase. If you are laminating a few dozen items per day, which is typical for home or small business use, most entry-level laminators will work for you. If you will be laminating dozens to hundreds of items a day, you may want to consider a commercial-grade laminating machine.
• Where will you keep your laminator? While laminators have varying capabilities, they also come in different sizes. Determine where you will be storing or using the laminator and make sure you have ample room. Most laminators will specify, on the product page, their length, width and height.
• What thickness of film would you like to laminate? Laminating pouches come in 3, 5, 7 and 10 mil thicknesses. A mil is a thousandth of an inch, which means the higher the number the thicker the pouch. While most people don’t use anything thicker than 5 mils, you may want to use 7 or 10. Most laminators will handle 3 or 5, but not all will handle 7 or 10. Be sure you know the laminator’s capabilities and the film you want to use.

Now that we have covered a few important questions, I would like to recommend a few nice “all around” good laminators. These machines have a proven track record, are designed for home or small business use and are affordable.

Recommended Home Laminating Machines:

1. Intelli-Lam IL300 Pouch Laminator
2. Intelli-Lam IL200 Pouch Laminator
3. Banner American QuikFinish PL100 Laminating Machine
4. Fellowes Cosmic CL-125 12″ Pouch Laminator
5. SircleLam SG-230 Pouch Laminator

While I have tried to answer all the important questions in this article, I understand that you may still have a few questions. If you need an answer to one of your questions, please feel free to contact one of our laminating experts by calling 1-800-658-8788.

You can find our entire selection of pouch laminating machines here.

If you laminate a lot of letter-size documents, you may be thinking a 9″ pouch laminator is exactly what you need. While a lot of pouch laminators can be used to laminate 8 ½” x 11″ documents, there are a few tips to keep in mind that will help cut down on jams and bad results. Here are just a few of those tips.

To begin with, while a 9″ laminator may be technically wide enough to laminate a letter-size document, you end up with only ¼” wiggle room on each side of the document. From what I have seen, that can result in a serious jam if you are not extremely careful.

If you feed the film in at an angle, even off just 1/8″, the document begins to get more and more crooked as it progresses through the machine. What will happen, as the error becomes more pronounced, is the side of the laminating film will begin to touch the side, creating tension and pressure. This will often cause stress on the laminator’s motor and can cause a jam.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t ever consider a 9″ laminator. Laminating letter-size documents can be done, and may even be feasible for many of you, but I recommend going with something a little wider.

I personally like the 13″ width for laminating 8 ½” x 11″ documents. This gives you ample room. The wider 11″ width also allows you to laminate smaller ID cards, multiple smaller objects and more. You can even use it to laminate 11″ x 17″ and 12″ x 18″ documents.

Here are a few 13″ pouch laminators that I personally recommend:

• Intelli-Lam IL400 13″ Pouch Laminator
• Tamerica TCC330 Pouch Laminator
• Tamerica C-Lam 3306 Pouch Laminator
• Akiles ProLam Plus 330 Pouch Laminating Machine
• Banner American PL135-4 13 ½” Laminator
• Akiles iLam 340 13″ Pouch Laminator

Here are two great 12″ wide laminators, which are still great for letter-size documents.

Fellowes Jupiter JL 125 12.5″ Laminator

Banner American PL12a 12 ¼” Pouch Laminating Machine

These laminators should all perform well and produce professional results. I have personally used all the laminators on this list and consider them to all be great machines. You can find our entire selection of pouch laminators here. If for any reason you are having trouble deciding on a specific make or model, feel free to call one of our experts at 1-800-658-8788.

Laminating machines, in particular pouch laminators, are far easier to use that you might think. Many people get frustrated by all the dials and buttons. Don’t worry. You can have your laminator set up in less than 60 seconds with these easy-to-use instructions.

To start with, just keep in mind that a laminator is simply a glorified heater with a motor. All a laminator does is melt glue and apply pressure for sticking it to paper, photos, cards and other documents. I have spoken with people that went extremely retro and simply used an iron and a towel to laminate documents. While I don’t recommend the iron approach (although some people swear by it), it really is that easy.

Here are 5 easy steps to get you laminator up and running.

• Step 1 – Plug in the machine and set the temperature. If there is no temperature dial, set the switch to the pouch thickness you are using. Common pouch thicknesses include 3, 5, 7 and 10 mils. The higher the number, the thicker the pouch.
• Step 2 – Turn on the motor.
• Step 3 – Insert your document into the pouch folder and then place it in a carrier folder.
• Step 4 – Place your pouch into the machine and wait for it to run through.
• Step 5 – Remove your document and repeat the process (if needed).

Sometimes seeing something in action is easier than following a step-by-step list of instructions. Here is a video demo of a pouch laminator:

While there are minor differences between pouch laminators, they all pretty much operate in a similar manner. I have personally found that once you know how to use one, the rest are all pretty easy to figure out. At ABC Office we offer some of the best prices and selection on pouch laminators. You can find our entire selection of laminating machines here.

If you are laminating a sign or a banner, there is a chance you may want to use it outside. If it is outside, there is a chance it could be affected by rainwater, snow, sprinklers and other elements. A question I frequently get from customers shopping around for a laminator or for laminating film is, “Is laminating film waterproof?” This is a great question. This is my answer.

To begin with, there are two primary forms of lamination. One is pouch lamination, which is done using a pouch laminator. The other is roll lamination, which is done by a roll laminator. While both formats produce results that are very similar, the method is slightly different.

Pouch laminators use laminating pouches, which look very similar to a folder. Products are placed inside and they are run through the laminator. Heat, rollers and pressure is used to melt the thermally-activated glue, finishing the lamination process.

Roll laminators use two separate rolls of film. One roll is for the top and the other is for the bottom. As a sign or banner is run through the laminator, a layer of thermally activated glue is applied to the top and bottom.

Pouch laminators are typically used for smaller items, up to about a legal-size sheet of paper. Roll laminators are used for mass laminating and for laminating larger signs and banners.

Laminating film is waterproof as long as there is a sealed barrier around the sign or banner. This barrier prevents water from seeping in and damaging the paper, photo or sign. If for any reason you use scissors and cut into the film and into the laminated paper, water can now soak in from the edge.

Laminating film will, however, deteriorate over time as hot sun begins to break down the glue. This process usually takes months of direct harsh exposure to the elements. If the laminated item sits under an eve or isn’t in direct sunlight, it could potentially last years.

The sun can also cause colors to bleach over time. For this reason UV film was created. While it is a bit more expensive, UV film can help filter out bleaching sunrays and dramatically enhance and preserve color.

You can find our entire selection of laminating pouches / film here and our entire selection of roll lamination film here. We also offer a great selection of laminating machines here.

Please feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 with any questions about laminators or film.

If you need to laminate business cards, photos, cards, signs and other material, one machine that you should consider is the PL12A pouch laminator from Banner American. This compact thermal laminator is now well over a decade old, yet continues to be one of the best selling laminators in the USA. If you’re teetering on which machine you should purchase, you may want to check out or PL12A video demo.

Before I show you the video, I would just like to explain why I personally like this laminator so much. To begin with, it looks great. It has a certain industrial look to it that sets it apart from the competition. There’s also the long history. This laminator has been around for well over 11 years, being one of the first pouch laminators I remember using when I first got into the office equipment industry.

The PL12A utilizes 4 rollers when laminating material. There are two rollers in the front, a heating element and two in the back. The combination of 4 rollers, versus cheaper 2 roller laminators, produces far superior results. Four rollers help iron out wrinkles, better distribute heat and eliminate the need to run a pouch through twice.

This laminator has been designed from the ground up to be long lasting. This becomes abundantly clear when you notice that it has a separate heat and motor button. Many laminators require that the heat and motor be run simultaneously. The PL12A will let you keep the heat on and the rollers off, which helps preserve the motor. This also allows you to immediately begin laminating without having to wait for it to warm up.

The Banner American PL12A also features an adjustable temperature control, located underneath the machine. This allows you to accurately and professionally laminate stuff using 3, 5, 7 or 10 mil thick pouches.

This is a video demo of the PL12A in action:

In conclusion I believe that this heavy-duty laminator is the perfect choice for most businesses, copy centers, schools and other organizations. I know of customers who are still using their PL12A well over 5 years after purchasing it. It is designed to last.

You can find the Banner American PL12A pouch laminating machine here and our entire selection of pouch laminators here.

Do you need a reliable pouch laminating machine for use at home or in a small business environment? If you’re in the shopping process right now, you have probably discovered a huge selection of machines. One model I would recommend you look at is the Fellowes Cosmic 125 12” pouch laminator. This is my review.

Fellowes, although better known for their shredders, also makes a wide variety of pouch laminators. The Cosmic 125 (aka CL-125) pouch laminator is the home / small office version of the heavier-duty Saturn 125. This laminator has been around for some time now and has a great reputation for light to medium-volume jobs.

Let me get down to the basic specs. This laminator has a 12 ½” wide opening that is designed to laminate wider documents or several smaller documents. As far as pouch laminators go, a 12 ½” wide opening is very large. This allows you to use the Cosmic 125 to laminate signs, menus, photos and much more. The Cosmic 125 literally measures in at 3.5625″ x 20.6875″ x 7.875″

Aesthetically, the Fellowes Cosmic 125 is one of the best looking laminators around. It features a calm white and gray color scheme. Rounded edges almost make this laminator look like a piece of home entertainment equipment than a piece of office machinery. It should easily fit in with your existing office products.

This particular laminator is designed to be used both 3 and 5 mil thick pouches. A mil is a thousandth of an inch. The 5-mil thickness is compatible for use with index card size items and smaller. The 3-mil thickness can be used with larger documents. While this is a thermal laminator, capable of heating up in 5 minutes, it can also be used for cold laminating.

If you have ever used a pouch laminator, you may have noticed that they can get pretty hot. Some are extremely hot to the touch. The Cosmic 125 uses special HeatGuard technology that keeps the laminator cool to touch. This is nice when you need to quickly unplug and move (or re-position) the laminator.

Portability is extremely easy with the Cosmic 125. An included carrying handle is located on the back of the laminator. It also features cord storage. This is nice for packing up and moving the laminator.

Have you ever started laminating something only to notice that you fed it in crooked? If not fixed, this can result in a jam. The Cosmic 125 features a release lever that disengages pouches, making them easy to remove or re-position. Once you’re ready, this lever can be re-engaged and laminating can re-commence.

Overall I think the Cosmic 125 is a good value. Just remember that this is not designed for high-volume use. It is best used for low to medium-volume laminating. Also be aware that you cannot use this laminator with 7 or 10-mil thick pouches.

You can find the Fellowes Cosmic 125 12″ pouch laminator here and our entire selection pouch laminators here.

Model: Cosmic 125 Laminator
CRC: 52160
Item Number: 5216001

A pouch laminator jam is no fun. The causes and reasons for laminator jams vary a lot. Some are basic enough that you can clear them out manually, where others are so bad that they require the machine to be completely disassembled. There are a few things you can do to help cut down on or completely eliminate laminator jams.

I personally have well over a decade of experience using pouch laminators from GBC, Akiles, Tamerica, Fellowes and many other brands. Each of these brands manufacture machines that are very similar in functionality. These tips should help you prevent laminating jams regardless of the make or model.

Laminator Jam Prevention Tips

Carriers – Most pouch laminators still require the use of a carrier to provide support to laminating film as it runs its course. I personally like to still use carriers, even when the laminators say they are carrier free (unless the laminator specifically says no carriers). If you don’t use a carrier, the laminating film could potentially wrap itself around the internal silicon rollers and create a jam.

Widths – Be careful that the item you laminate fits within the maximum dimensions of your laminator. Many people (let’s use a 12″ laminator as an example) will try to laminate a 12″ wide piece of paper in a 12″ laminator. This isn’t a good idea as there is absolutely no room for error. When laminating something edge to edge in a laminating machine, the chances of a jam are almost guaranteed.

Angles - Make sure you feed your material into the pouch laminator straight and true. If there is any angle, that angle will become progressively worse as the material is pulled inside, ultimately resulting in a jam.

Reverse Button - I love reverse buttons on pouch laminators. If your material is starting to go in at an angle, or even if a jam has already begun, a reverse option makes it extremely easy to clear out material. I can vouch from personal experience that a reverse button will save you some serious headaches.

Motor Speeds – While not always an option, an adjustable motor speed can help when feeding material into a laminator. This is probably the least important feature in my list, but it is still a nice convenience should you find a machine with this feature.

Hopefully these tips help you with your laminator jams. If for any reason your machine has suffered a bad jam, feel free to contact our Service Department at 1-800-658-8788 x129 for advice on getting it back up and running.

If for any reason you need a new pouch laminator, you can find our entire selection of new pouch laminating machines here.

Have you ever run a picture or an important document through a pouch laminator only to have it come out with cloudy splotches all over it? It can be pretty frustrating, especially if it is something you really care about. So is there anything that you can do to fix the cloudy splotches? Here are a few tips.

You may have noticed, when you first place a document in a laminating pouch, that the film is translucent. That is because the glue, which lines the inside of the pouch, hasn’t been melted. Once melted, the glue becomes clear and stays that way. If the glue isn’t properly melted, some of that translucent cloudiness remains.

I would say 9 times out of 10, when cloudy splotches and spots appear, the laminator being used is running too cool. Some areas of the film melt and laminate properly, but the rest remains in an “unlaminated” state.

There are two things you can do to fix this problem. The first thing you can do is run your pouch through the laminator again and hope that a couple of passes will properly laminate the film. Your second option is to increase the heat of the laminator and run the pouch through. This should eliminate the cloudy spots.

If you are still noticing cloudy spots, even after adjusting the temperature or re-running the pouches through the laminator, your film may be too old or the laminator may be defective. If the film is too old, you’re probably out of luck and will need to buy new film. Unfortunately, the item you are laminating may be irreparably cloudy. I would certainly try at least running the pouch through another laminator before deeming the project a failure.

Some lower-end pouch laminators may require that you run the laminator through multiple times, every time. This is often the result of the laminator only having 2 rollers, which sometimes results in uneven heat distribution, or the laminator may simply have a week heating element.

For clean and clear results every time, I highly recommend using a laminator with 4 rollers or more. The more rollers used, the more evenly heat is distributed, which in turn produces great results.

You can find our entire selection of pouch laminators here and our entire selection of pouch laminating film here. If you feel your laminator may be defective, or in need of servicing, feel free to contact our Service Department by calling 1-800-658-8788 x129. Good luck!

Luggage tags provide an invaluable tool for luggage location. They can be strapped to suit cases, handbags, backpacks and much more. Did you know that you can easily, and affordably, create your own luggage tags? There are a few ways you can go about doing this. I will explain them all in this article.

Making your own luggage tags is extremely easy and can be done in just minutes. Materials needed are pretty straightforward. Here is the equipment you will need:

• Printer & luggage tag template
• Scissors or paper cutter
• Laminator
• Luggage tag laminating pouches
• Slot punch (optional)
• Luggage tag loops

Now that you have a list of the equipment, you will need to know what to do with it. Here are three easy steps you will want to follow.

Step 1. The luggage tags themselves can be easily printed on just about any laser or inkjet printer. There are several templates available online. You can find some available for use with Microsoft Word by going here.  Once printed, cut them out using a pair of scissors or a paper cutter.

Step 2. Now that you have your paper luggage tag cut out, you will want to laminate it. In order to laminate it, you will need both a pouch laminator and luggage tag laminating pouches.

Luggage tag laminating pouches can be purchased with or without a luggage tag slot. The slot measures in at ½” x 1/8″. The slot is punched on the short side of the pouch and the pouch itself measures in at 2 ½” x 4 ¼”.

A handheld slot punch can be used to punch your own slots in luggage tag pouches that don’t include a slot. You can also use a slot punch to punch slots in non luggage tag size pouches for custom size luggage tags.

Step 3. Once laminated, you will want to insert a luggage tag loop strap. These loop straps are available in plastic, vinyl, metal and leather designs. I really like the vinyl and leather, but preference varies from person to person.

There you have it…a custom luggage tag! These tags are fun for personal use, as a hobby or even for business / retail purposes. Because they are laminated, they are weather proof and hold up well with continued wear and tear.

Feel free to call us at 1-800-658-8788 for any help or recommendations on making custom luggage tags.